Camera market 2015: An analysis by LensVid

Just like in the beginning of 2014 and 2015, the folks who run the website LensVid have analyzed the market data for last year published by CIPA this time as well and created a chart that can be interpreted very easily.

The thing that you’ll notice immediately is the bar chart on the very right. Due to the fact that the sales figures in 2015 dropped to one fifth of those in 2010, I don’t think speaking of the “extinction of compact cameras” is an exaggeration. The authors on LensVid assume that in 2016, or 2017 at the latest, fewer compact cameras will be sold than DSLR and MILC cameras combined – an evaluation that seems quite realistic.

What’s also interesting is the discrepancy between the hype surrounding mirrorless system cameras and their sales figures. Even though more and more mirrorless cameras are being sold, the not even 3% increase of the numbers of all pieces sold is modest and it isn’t enough to balance out the decreasing DSLR sales figures (-9% in 2015).

Since 2010 the global camera market has decreased by 70%, which is why you have to assume that either some manufacturers will disappear or that the development will slow down dramatically.